[SEMCO] Cold-stunned Sea Turtle found today

[Melissa Lowe]

COLD-STUNNED SEA TURTLE FOUND IN BREWSTER MARKS START OF STRANDING SEASON
Public Programs Scheduled by Mass Audubon to Learn More about Sea Turtles

A small Kemp's Ridley sea turtle (a highly endangered species) was found
stranded on Crosby Beach in Brewster. It was found this afternoon, Saturday,
November 29, by a Cape Cod National Seashore employee who was walking her
dog there. It was brought to Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife
Sanctuary. This cold-stunned turtle marks the start of the stranding season
on Cape Cod.

The turtle was sluggish, but still alive. It weighed a mere 4.8 pounds.
Interestingly it is covered in lots of algae. Baseline information was
gathered by Wellfleet Bay Santuary Director Bob Prescott before the turtle
was sent off to New England Aquarium to begin its rehabilitation.

If you find a stranded sea turtle please observe the following rules:
1) Do not put it back in the water.
2) Do not remove it from the beach.
3) Move it above the high tide line.
4) Cover it with seaweed and mark its location with a stick, buoy or other
beach debris.
5) Call the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 and leave a
message as to its location. Please be as specific as possible in giving
directions from the nearest beach access so we can recover the turtle
quickly.

To learn more about sea turtles and the cold-stunning phenomenon join the
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary for a public lecture on Saturday, November
12 at 2 p.m. Bob Prescott and naturalist Dennis Murley will discuss sea
turtle biology and the stranding season. Information on how to volunteer
will also be covered. The cost for the talk is $4 for Mass Audubon members
and $5 for non-members. Registration is required. Call 508-349-2615 to
reserve your spot. The talk will be held at the Chapel in the Pines in
Eastham.

Or take part in a special weekend that involves participants in assisting
researchers with rescue and data collection. This weekend is scheduled for
November 18-20, the traditional height of the stranding season. Participants
will hear lectures, walk beaches in search of turtles, assist with data
collection, and prepare them for transport to New England Aquarium. Dinner
at a local restaurant is also included! The weekend is limited to 10
participants and there is still space. For more details contact Melissa Lowe
at 508-349-2615 or mlowe at massaudubon.org

***************************************
Melissa Lowe
Education Coordinator
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
508-349-2615 or mlowe at massaudubon.org

"Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts"
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay